The Hill vs. the Statehouse

By Laura Gordon

The U.S. government operates on many levels, including the
federal, state, and local divisions. While many jobs seem
centered on glamorous Capitol Hill, the majority, in fact, are
at state and local bureaucracies.

The Hill

Jobs within the legislative branch,such
asworking on Capitol Hill in D.C., as a staff
member for aRepresentativeor
Senator,can be particularly suited
torecent college gradslooking for
some experience before heading off to graduate or law school.
"The Hill," as it's commonly referred to, is teeming with
young people willing to work long hours, often on several
projects at once, for an opportunity to get an insider's view
of how the government works. Often, the work is focused on
issues that will benefit people, the environment,
business,or some other target for
legislation. The contacts you make and the issues you learn
about in these positions can open many doors for you later in
your career, both at federal and international
levels.

The State

Jobs at the state and local levelsareusuallymore focused on
providing services to various groups of constituents.

In state government, agencies might administer social
services, oversee revenue collection, enforce
regulations,issue licenses, plan
transportation improvements, direct economic
development, orsupport law
enforcement. While occupations in state governmentoftenmirror those found throughout the
economy, there are some jobs that are unique. These
include tax examiners, collectors, and revenue
agents; urban and regional
planners;and the
judiciary, including correctional officers and jailers. A
four-year bachelor's degree will often provide the required
training for these careers.

The Community

In cities and towns, police, fire,and public works departments are likely to be the
largest employers, supported by a smaller number of municipal
managers, financial workers,and
other staff.

Increasingly, communities are requiring police officers
to have an associate's or bachelor's degree. Firefighters
also are expected to have extensive training, including
coursework in fire safety andpassinga civil service exam. Civil engineers are often sought
fortransportationdepartments.

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